This is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's fishing report for Jan. 26, 2005. If there is a body of water you would like to see included in this report, please call or e-mail us with information on possible sources for that lake or river.

Fishing Tip: When tying knots in monofilament line, use saliva to lubricate the knots. When dry knots are pulled tight, the friction causes heat, which can damage the line.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS: Lake Conway: Bates Field and Stream said the water is stained, but it is at normal pool. Bream fishing is good using worms, crickets and wax worms on the bottom. Crappie are biting well on minnows and pepper-colored jigs in the deep water and on the edge of the creek channel.

Little Red River: Lindsey's Resort said the river has plenty of water with two generators running. Trout are biting on artificial baits and flies.

Cadron Creek: Wooster Grocery said crappie are biting well on minnows.

Greers Ferry: Shiloh Marina said the water is dingy, and the lake is at 470 feet. Crappie are biting on minnows fished deep. Hybrids and whites are biting on spoons and top-water lures near Higden Bay and Fairfield Bay. Largemouth bass are biting on crankbaits.

Toad Suck Lock and Dam: Bates Field and Stream said the lake has a medium stain, but is at normal pool. Crappie are biting well on minnows in the backwaters and on the edges of the creek channels. Catfishing is good using minnows and shad.

Little Maumelle River: River Valley Bait said the river conditions are normal. Redears are biting well from 3- to 6-feet deep on worms and wax worms in heavy cover. Crappie are biting well from 5- to 10-feet deep on minnows and jigs. Bass are biting fair up to 3-feet deep on spinner baits and minnows fished over brush piles. Catfish are biting well on just about anything fished on the bottom. Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said crappie are biting well from 4- to 6-feet deep on minnows and jigs in white-and-chartreuse.

Lake Maumelle: Jolly Roger's Marina said black bass fishing has been good. The blacks are starting to move into their spring pattern and are located in 4 to 9 feet of water among the weeds. With the warm days they have already been in the weeds, but cold snaps will move them out. They are hitting best on dark-colored crankbaits. Kentucky bass fishing is fair. The Kentuckies are still in the winter pattern and are being caught from 25- to 30-feet deep on the channel edges. They are hitting 3-inch pumpkin grubs and CC Spoons. White bass are biting well. They are starting to move to the west end for the spring run. You can catch them around the Chimney and across on the Sharp Bank. Sassy shads and Rogues are working best for whites. Catfishing is fair. They are hitting in deeper water (20 to 28 feet) and are hitting large minnows and prepared baits. Crappie are biting well. The crappie have moved into about 35 feet of water and are being caught on small 1/32-ounce jigs and pink minnows. Bream fishing is slow.

Arkansas River: Charley's Hidden Harbor near Oppelo said the flow from Lock no. 9 is 69,000 cubic feet per second with headwater at 284.30 feet and tailwater at 272.60 feet. Fishermen are beginning to get out on the river. Catfishing is strong using whole shad in the deep holes. Bass are getting out in the jetties. Try fishing on the backside from noon to dark using shallow-diving crankbaits or tubes in firetiger. Crappie fishing has slowed down, but try using minnows in the backwaters. Sauger fishing has been good below the dam using yellow and chartreuse jigs. White bass fishing is fair below the dam using spoons.

Arkansas River (Little Rock area): Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said catfish are biting well on yo-yos baited with chicken liver.

Murray Lock and Dam: Hatchet Jack's Sport Shop said blue cats are biting on shad and night crawlers.

NORTH ARKANSAS:

White River: Gaston's White River Resort said the river water is really clear, but the river is still high. There have been eight generators running 24-hours a day since Jan. 9. Drift fish with caution. Brown trout fishing is excellent; the fish taken have ranged from 3 to 11 pounds. For browns, use rogues in silver with a black back and orange belly or in silver with a blue back and orange belly. Rainbow trout fishing has also been very good. For rainbows, use yellow-and-white Power Eggs, red worms or Husky Jerk Rapalas in sliver-and-black or lime-and-black.

Bull Shoals Tailwater: McLellan's Fly Shop said two to six units have been running most days, building up to eight units by late afternoon. Drifting with the lower water releases has produced some excellent fly-fishing opportunities. The trout are all fat and healthy after the extended period of high water. As a result, fly-fishing has been very good lately in the various shoals of the upper river, especially using sow bugs, scuds, Unreal Eggs, Golden Eggs and San Juan Worms. Some very large trout have been hooked lately. The best flies have been: Zebra and Black/Olive Rubber-leg Copper John (sizes 14 to 18), McLellan's Woven V-Rib Sowbug (sizes 14 to 16), McLellan's Hunchback Scud Tan, Olive and Gray (sizes 14 to 16), Red Fox Squirrel Nymph (sizes 12 to 16), Little Brown Bug (sizes 14 to 16), March Brown Spider (sizes 12 to 14), Red Ass (size 16), Partridge & Herl (size 16), Rag Sculpin (size 6), Golden Eggs (size 16), Unreal Eggs (size 12), Platte River Special (size 4), Articulated Zoo Cougar (size 4) and Swimming Jimmy (size 4).

North Fork River: McLellan's Fly Shop said generation has been scaled back the last week. The water has been running early and late in the day, providing some wade-fishing opportunities. However, with all the water in Lake Norfork, generation should increase over the next week. During low-water conditions, scuds, sow bugs and midges have been producing plenty of strikes. During high-water conditions, streamer fishing has been excellent from a boat (especially on overcast days). Nymph fishing in high water has also been productive using bigger McLellan's Hunchback Scuds, egg patterns and San Juan Worms. The best flies have been: McLellan's Hunchback Scud Tan, Olive and Gray (sizes 14 to 16), Morgan's Midge (sizes 22 to 24), Rojo Midge (size 22), Yong Special (sizes 20 to 22), Zebra Jujubee Midge (sizes 20 to 24), Mercury Black Beauty (sizes 20 to 22), Gray Mercury Midge (sizes 20 to 22), WD-50 (sizes 20 to 22), McLellan's Woven Sow Bug (sizes 14 to 16), Golden Egg (size 16), Unreal Eggs (size 12), Mercury Brassie (sizes 18 to 20), Mercury Blood Midge (sizes 20 to 22), Platte River Special (size 4), San Juan Worm (size 16), Articulated Zoo Cougar (size 4), and Swimming Jimmy (size 4).

Lake Norfork: Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the water in the lake is clear, but the water in the creek arms is dingy. The lake level is dropping rapidly. Crappie fishing has slowed, but some are being taken on a little Lake Norfork crappie jig. Spoons are catching an assortment of fish, such as walleye, whites and stripers.

Bradford Lake: Shirley's Bait said the lake is clear and high. Crappie are biting well about 4-feet deep on yo-yos baited with crappie minnows fished over brush piles.

Tom's Lake: Shirley's Bait said the lake is clear and high. Crappie fishing good on yo-yos baited with crappie minnows.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Beaver Lake: Southtown Sporting Goods said the lake is muddy and high. Crappie fishing is fair from 8- to 15-feet deep using minnows and jigs around brush piles. Bass fishing is fair using jerkbaits and jigs. Striper fishing is fair using live shad.

Lake Sequoyah: Lake Sequoyah Boat Dock said the lake is clear, and the level is normal. Crappie are biting really well in deep water on minnows and tube jigs. A few bass have been taken using jig 'n' frog combos or plastic worms.

Beaver Tailwaters: Beaver Dam Store said fly-fishermen are doing pretty well using Pheasant Tails or Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear nymphs in sizes 14 to 18. Also, Y2K bugs in size 14, Charlotte's Red Neck Midge in size 16 and Olive Bead Head Woolly Buggers in sizes 10 to 12 are productive. Trout are biting on corn, wax worms and mealworms. Micro Jigs in olive or brown and P.J.s Finesse Jigs are hard to beat. McLellan's Fly Shop said generation should increase on the Beaver Tailwaters this week as Table Rock Lake is drawn down. When the generators are off, midges are the most consistent food source, but scuds and sow bugs have also been reliable. Some large trout have been hooked lately on McLellan's Hunchback Scud, San Juan Worms and Micro Egg Patterns. The best flies have been: Morgan's Midge (sizes 22 to 24), Rojo Midge (size 22), WD-50 (sizes 20 to 22), Red Jujubee Midge (sizes 20 to 22), Mercury Blood Midge (sizes 20 to 24), Pure Midge (sizes 20 to 22), Black Beauty Emerger (sizes 22 to 24), Biot Midge (sizes 20 to 22), Rainbow Warrior (size 18), Chocolate Emerger (size 20), Adult Midge (size 24), JB Emerger (sizes 20 to 22), McLellan's Hunchback Scud Gray (sizes 14 to 16), McLellan's Woven Sow Bug (sizes 14 to 16), and Golden Egg (size16).

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

Lake Charles: Powhatan Landing said the lake is stained and high. Crappie fishing is fair using minnows off the bank.

Black River: Powhatan Landing said the river is stained and high.

Spring River: Local fisherman Gary Salard said the water clarity is poor this week due to the runoff both locally and from the Mammoth Spring feeder creeks in Missouri. There are still a few rainbows being caught, primarily at the hatchery, but due to the extremely cold temperatures, only a few fishermen are willing to go. An 11 ½-pound walleye was picked up in the River Bend area. The catch was made on a fly-rod using a red-and-white jig suspended from a cork. There are also reports of a few walleye being caught where the Spring and Eleven-Point Rivers empty into the Black River.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS

Lake Enterprise: Fred's Sport Shop said the lake is clear and the level is normal. Crappie fishing is fair in deep water using jigs and shiners over stumps.

Lake Chicot: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine said the lake clarity is normal, but the lake is still low. Bream are biting well from 3- to 4-feet deep on worms. Crappie fishing is fair, and catfishing is good.

Mississippi River: Koenig's Bass Tracker Marine said the river clarity is normal, but the river is still high. Catfishing is good.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

Millwood Lake: Millwood Lake Guide Service said the water temperature ranges from 43 to 47 degrees. The lake is approximately 11 inches above normal pool with a moderate stain and heavy current. The release rate at the dam with all 13 gates open at 4 feet is 18,622 cubic feet per second. The lake elevation is 260.08 feet. Northeastern sector of the lake around Cottonshed and OK Landing remains extremely muddy with increased current and muddy water in the Saline River. Largemouth bass are fair to good on black-and-blue or green pumpkin jigs with pork trailers fished 4- to 6-feet deep around the base of cypress trees. For bass, also try maneuvering a white-orange-chartreuse, tri-color spinner bait through vegetation around 6 to 8 feet. Ten-inch Power Worms in blue fleck are working and taking keepers in the 3-pound range. Hammered CC Spoons with white-and-red bucktails jigged 12- to 15-feet deep are hauling in some nice bass north of Outlaw Trail boat run. On sunny or warmer days, tubes and Brush Hogs are catching decent size bass from 8- to 10-feet deep on stumps along the edges of the river and in the backs of creeks near the cypress trees. Along the river, fish from 8- to 12-feet deep along stumps and timber to find the more aggressive bass bite. Carolina rigs in these areas of the river seem to be working better. The best colors for tubes or brush hogs in the past week seem to be black with red flake, smoke with a chartreuse tail, blackberry or chartreuse pepper. Heavy ¾- to 1-ounce size Rat-L-Traps in diamond dust colors, fished in creek mouths and across deep points between Hurricane Creek and Jack's Isle along Little River are working when fished very slowly. Shallow- to medium-diving red, brown and orange crankbaits continue working on points and creek channels. Crappie fishing has seen a slight improvement since the water began clearing and the lake began to fall toward normal pool. Crappie are biting fair to good on live shiners over planted brush piles at 15 to 19 feet along Little River. Blue catfish remain fair to good in Little River on trotlines baited with chicken hearts/livers, large earthworms, shiners and cut shad. The outside river bends around Snake Creek and around the No. 3 and No. 4 mile markers in Little River seem to be best locations. Clarity in the river has improved up to be anywhere from 6 to 7 inches in some areas. Creeks and sloughs of Little River have begun clearing now with the lake falling. The upriver oxbows such as McGuire, Horseshoe, Mud Lake and Cemetery Slough still have much better water visibility, ranging from 2 to 3 feet in places.

Lake Columbia: Steve's Marine said crappie are biting fair on jigs and shiners. Bass are biting fair on plastic lizards.

Lake Erling: Steve's Marine said bream fishing is fair using worms or crickets on the bottom. Crappie fishing is fair using jigs or shiners. Bass fishing is fair using plastic lizards.

Lake Greeson: Lakeside Grocery, Motel and Bait Shop said the lake temperature is 53 degrees and the water is stained. Crappie fishing is fair from 10- to 15-feet deep using minnows and jigs over brush piles. Bass fishing is poor from 5- to 15-feet deep using crankbaits on rocky points. Catfishing is fair in the creek channels trolling with minnows or night crawlers.

DeGray Lake: DeGray One Stop said the lake clarity is good and the water is high. The lake temperature is 52 degrees. Bream fishing is good in deep water using red worms and small jigs. Crappie fishing is good from 18- to 28-feet deep using live bait and jigs over brush piles. Black bass and Kentucky bass are biting from 18- to 28-feet deep on crankbaits and black or blue hair jigs. Catfishing is good using live bait in the deep water. Whites and hybrids are moving to the northwest end of the lake, and they are biting on crankbaits, spoons, Roostertails and shad. Point Cedar Bait Shop said the lake is stained but at normal pool.

WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Lake Dardanelle: Early Bird Outfitters said the lake is murky and high. Crappie fishing is good from 12- to 20-feet deep using minnows and jigs over brush piles near the docks. Stripers are biting from 15- to 20-feet deep. Catfishing is good from 8- to 10-feet deep using cut shad in the river and in the back pocket of the lake. Early Bird Outfitters said the lake is stained and high. Crappie are biting well from 8- to 10-feet deep on minnows and jigs over brush piles. Stripers are biting well on just about anything near the nuclear plant outlet. Catfish are biting well on cut bait, shad and minnows at the discharge.

Ozark Pool: Lakeside Food Mart said the river is clearing up, and it is at normal pool. Crappie are biting well on jigs and minnows fished on the bottom. White bass fishing is good using minnows and jigs below the dam. Catfish are biting on cut bait, shad and minnows below the dam.

Lake Ouachita: Mountain Harbor Resort said the water temperature ranges from 44- to 50-degrees. The water is clearing up, and the lake level is 579 feet. Largemouth are still good, and these fish are schooling and being caught with crankbaits, gray or white jigs and silver spoons. Try main lake points and humps in 20 to 30 feet of water for the best results. Walleye are good with reports of these fish being caught over or near large river channel points. Jigging spoons or jigs tipped with minnows are still the most effective. Try water depths of 20 to 35 feet. Stripers are excellent on live bait, hair jigs or silver spoons. These fish are located in pockets and old creek channels. Areas around points 15, 16 and 19 are getting good reports. White bass action is excellent in the river channels from 30- to 35-feet deep. Crappie are still good and being caught over brush piles using feather jigs, 2-inch grubs and minnows. Try main lake points and large moss flats 10- to 25-feet deep. The best colors are still white, silver and Tennessee shad. Cross Creek said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie are biting from 10- to 15-feet deep on jigs fished over brush piles. Bass fishing is fair from 10- to 15-feet deep using crankbaits. Stripers are biting on artificials and live shad fished from 15- to 20-feet deep.

Lake Catherine: Dozhier's Bait Shop and Rainbow Landing said fish are still moving upstream and feeding on dead shad. Trout are hitting power bait and small shad-like crankbaits. Crappie are staging around brush and downed timber and are going for small shiners. Stripers and hybrids are moving toward the dam and are feeding on shad. Fishermen have had some success using large red fins and flukes.

Lake Hamilton: Dozhier's Bait Shop and Rainbow Landing said bass are going for crawfish-like crankbaits and jigs worked around rocky outcrops and steep banks. Walleye are moving toward the main channel at the west end of the lake and are hitting Rogues and deep-running crankbaits. Catfish are hitting whole dead and live crawfish with some good jug action fishing 8- to 10-feet deep. Crappie are holding off deep structure in 8 to 12 feet of water and are hitting small shiners.

Lake Hinkle: Bill's Bait Shop said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie are biting well from 10- to 15-feet deep on minnows fished over stumps. Bass fishing is good at 10-feet deep using deep-running crankbaits and minnows. Catfishing is fair using worms off the dam by the rocks.

Lake Atkins: Lucky Landing said the lake is clear and high. Bream are biting well on wax worms and crickets fished on the bottom. Crappie are biting well on minnows and jigs fished on the bottom. White bass are biting well on minnows and jigs fished below the dam. Catfish are biting below the dam on cut bait, shad and minnows.

Lake Nimrod: Lake Nimrod Bait 'n' More II said the lake is still high. However, crappie are being caught on jigs and minnows. Catfish are biting well.

Arkansas River: Cross Creek said the river is murky and high. Bass fishing is good from 6- to 8-feet deep using deep-diving crankbaits. Catfish are biting well from 8- to 10-feet deep on small or cut shad in the back pockets of the river. The Tackle Box said the river is murky and high. Crappie are biting well from 6- to 8-feet deep on minnows and jigs in the creek channels. Bass fishing is good about 30-feet deep using jigging spoons.

SOUTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Felsenthal: Benson's Grocery and Bait said the lake is muddy and high.

Cox Creek Lake: Cox Creek Lake said with all the rain, the lake is a little high. Crappie are biting really well on minnows, and bass are biting well on artificials.

EAST ARKANSAS:

Maddox Bay: Maddox Bay Landing said the lake clarity is fair, and the lake level is high. Crappie are biting fair from 1- to 2-feet deep using yo-yos baited with minnows.

Midway Lake: Ed's Boat Camp said with the rain and the high river, fishing has not been good.

Bear Creek Lake: Arkansas Outdoors said the lake clarity is good, and the lake is at normal pool. Crappie are biting well from 12- to 14-feet deep trolling with minnows and assorted plastics. Catfish are biting well on trotlines baited with cut shad fished on the bottom.

Mississippi River: Arkansas Outdoors said the river is very high.

Lower St. Francis River: Arkansas Outdoors said the river is very high.

Horseshoe Lake: Local fisherman Clyde Gregory said the lake is clear and at normal pool. Crappie fishing is fair using minnows or trolling red-and-chartreuse or black-and-chartreuse jigs. Try fishing 25-feet deep. Bass have been biting around the cypress trees.

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